Operating system new and old one - Essay Example

Operating System New and Old One In computer and information technology, an operating system (OS) refers to a software that bears the responsibility of managing software and hardware resources and offering universal services for reference computer and mobile programs (Computer Hope 1). Indeed, all application programs and software in a computer system rely on an operating system. As such, all devices that contains computer program like smart phones, video games, computers, and web servers must use operating systems.

There has been an evolution of operation systems where the modern OS is different from old OS. Indeed, the evolution of OS correlates with the growth in IT and computer needs. Examples of old operation system include Admiral Operating system for Honeywell 800/1800, Atlas I Supervisor that introduced system calls and virtual storage for the first computer. We also have the SCOPE operating systems developed in the 1960s that enabled batch processing and the MACE operating system for sharing time.

The Michigan Terminal System (MTS) and MUSIC/SP are also examples of old OS developed for early computers like IBM.However, the complexity of new hardware and application programs led to the development of new OS. Indeed, the old OS lacked important features that are present in new OS such as the capacity to run third-party applications and multiple applications at once. Examples of new OS include Microsoft Windows, Android, IBM z/OS, Mac OS X, iOS, and Linux (Computer Hope 1). Most new OS adopt a touchscreen input design since it applies to portable devices.

Notably, Microsoft Windows is the most dominant OS used in PCs, IBM, and smartphones (Computer Hope 1). The Apple Mac OS applies only in Apple computer operating system and on Macintosh computers while Android OS is applicable in all Android compatible phones (Computer Hope 1). Moreover, Linux is a new OS applicable in PC and IBM compatible computers while iOS operates with the Apple iPhone (Computer Hope 1). Notably, the choice of an OS depends on the hardware though all operating systems offer a graphical user interface that entails a desktop and the capacity to manage files and folders.

The early OS embraced diversity where technicians produced multiple OS to apply in a specific mainframe computer.However, the old OS had different command models, operating protocols, and operating tools. The development of new computers and hardware resulted to the introduction of new OS where the technicians adjusted, retested, and restructured the applications to accommodate the new OS. The new OS depict advanced features, capacities, and perform complex and diverse functions in an efficient and predictable manner.

Ideally, the new OS is a very fundamental component that runs a computer where it runs other programs and performs important functions like identifying input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices (Quinstreet Enterprise 1). An OS eliminates interference of different programs and users running at the same time. Moreover, an OS limits and authorizes access to a computer system (Quinstreet Enterprise 1).

New and old OS offers a software platform where all application programs, can run (Quinstreet Enterprise 1). Both new and old OS allows the computer hardware to interact and operate with the computer software by organizing and controlling hardware and software to enhance flexibility and predictability in the functioning of computer devices (Computer Hope 1).Works CitedComputer Hope. Operating system. 2014. Web. 2 July 2014. < http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/o/os.htm> Quinstreet Enterprise.

OS - operating system. 2014. Web. 2 July 2014. < http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/O/operating_system.html>